Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 49090 Arthur Anderson

Age: 19
From: Hollinwood, Lancs
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
D.O.W Thursday 30th November 1916
Commemorated at: Warlincourt Halte Brit Cem
Panel Ref: III.G.3

Arthur was born on 02nd May 1897 in Hollinwood and he was baptised at St Margaret's Church, Hollinwood, Oldham on 19th April 1899. He was the second son of Henry Anderson and his wife Emily (nee Mellor). His parents married in 1895 in Oldham Register Office (his father giving the name Harry), and had two children. Arthur had an older brother Llewellyn, born in 1895. After the death of Llewellyn at age 2, Arthur was the only surviving child.

As his father does not appear on any Census after the marriage, nothing is known of him. Arthur’s mother Emily was born in Hollinwood.

In 1901 Arthur, age 3, and his mother are living with her mother Annie Mellor at 3 Simpson Square, Chadderton. His grandmother is 57, his mother is 28, listed as married, working as a cotton yarn reeler. Also living in the household are his uncle George Mellor, 34, a railway plate layer, and two boarders.

The 1911 Census shows Arthur and his mother living at 3 Simpson Square, Hollinwood with her brother George Mellor. Emily is described as married but her husband is not listed at the address. Arthur, aged 13 is shown as working in a cotton mill as a piercer. This job saw him repairing broken threads on a loom. Both his mother and uncle were also employed at a cotton mill.

Before enlisting, Arthur worked at the Vale Mill, in Stockfield Road, Chadderton.

SDGW shows that he enlisted in Ashton Under Lyne. Arthur joined the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 49090.

He died of wounds on 30th November 1916, aged 19.

When he died he was his mother's only son, her first born Llewellyn had died in infancy, aged 2, in 1897. Her devastating loss is reflected in the epitaph on Arthur's headstone at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery which states:

"SADLY MISSED BY HIS MOTHER".

The site of the cemetery was chosen in May 1916. It was used from June 1916 to May 1917 by the 20th and 43rd Casualty Clearing Stations, in February 1917 by the 1/1st South Midland, and from April to June 1917 by the 32nd. The whole of plots VII, VIII, IX and X were filled in April and May 1917, the months of the Battles of Arras. From June 1917, the cemetery was practically unused until the fighting of May and June 1918, when field ambulances buried in it. After the Armistice the cemetery was increased by graves brought in from other smaller cemeteries.

The cemetery now contains 1,266 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There are also 29 German and two French war graves.

The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

His death was reported among the Oldham fallen in the Manchester Evening News on the 08th December 1916:

“Private Arthur Anderson, King’s Liverpool Regiment, died of wounds on Nov. 30, lived at 3, Simpson Square, Hollinwood. He was a piecer at Vale Mill.”

His Army effects and a War Gratuity of £3 went to his mother. She was awarded a pension of 10/- a week from July 1917, reduced to 8/- in February 1918.

Arthur is commemorated on St. Margaret’s Church Cross, Hollinwood.

We currently have no further information on Arthur Anderson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

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